Tumor Proliferation (Percentage of Ki-67 Positive Cells) [ Time Frame: Baseline, prior to DHEA treatment, within 48 hours prior to surgery and after 14 days of DHEA treatment. ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Effect of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on Androgen Receptor Expression [ Time Frame: Baseline, prior to DHEA treatment, within 48 hours prior to surgery and after 14 days of DHEA treatment. ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Effect of DHEA on Changes in Serum Estrogen and Androgen Hormone Levels (e.g., Estrone, Estradiol, Testosterone, Dihydrotestosterone, DHEA, and DHEA-sulfate) [ Time Frame: Baseline, prior to DHEA treatment, within 48 hours prior to surgery and after 14 days of DHEA treatment. ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Toxicity [ Time Frame: Within 48 hours prior to surgery and after 14 days of DHEA treatment. ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

To identify the effect of the adrenal steroid, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), on tumor proliferation in women with estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative, HER2/neu-negative, and androgen receptor (AR)-positive stage I-III adenocarcinoma of the breast.

Secondary

To study the effect of DHEA on expression of AR in these patients.

To assess the effect of DHEA on changes in serum estrogen and androgen hormone levels (e.g., estrone, estradiol, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, DHEA, and DHEA-sulfate) in these patients.

To assess the toxicity of DHEA in these patients.

To follow the clinical course of these patients.

OUTLINE: Patients receive oral dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) twice daily on days -14 to 0. Patients then undergo surgery on day 1.

Tissue samples are collected at baseline and at the time of surgery for biomarker analysis (androgen receptor, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2/neu, Ki-67, and p53) by IHC. Blood samples are collected at baseline and after completion of treatment with DHEA for analysis of serum hormone (e.g., estrone, estradiol, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, DHEA, and DHEA-sulfate) and cytokine levels.

After completion of study therapy, patients are followed up at 1 week and then every 6 months for 3 years.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically or cytologically confirmed invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00972023